


In Your Arms, I Find Comfort

by anonymouse_fiction



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Boys In Love, Exhaustion, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, let the bird nerd sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 09:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11917587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonymouse_fiction/pseuds/anonymouse_fiction
Summary: Link notices that Shad is very torn up about his work. So, he does what he can to make things better… no matter how small an act it may seem.





	In Your Arms, I Find Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dears. I would like to start with an apology: I’m sorry I haven’t been writing much these past few months. Due to personal issues, I haven’t had the time nor energy to write. But things have gotten better, and I want to get back into the swing of things! Please enjoy this short little drabble!

             For the past few days, Link had noticed that Shad seemed… off. He didn’t quite know how else to put it. At first, it was subtle things: Shad lingering longer in the Archives, drinking more tea than he normally would, skipping lunch to meet with other departments, and other little things that had Link worried. But as the days grew into over a week, Link’s concern only grew. Shad had practically thrown himself into his work and was hardly sleeping, as made apparent by the lack of his lover in their shared bed. 

             Link sighed and hugged his pillow tighter to his body, unsure of what to do. He’d already asked his friends, from whom he got mixed advice. Telma and Ashei both said Link should intervene as soon as he could before he fell into his bad research habits again. Zelda and Argus both recommended giving him space, as Shad was ultimately a private person that didn’t take well to people barging in on his problems. Link knew if anyone was to intervene, he should be the one to do it…

‘So why am I up here hemming and hawing?’ Link thought, sitting up in the bed. 

             It took a moment for him to steel his nerves, but once he had, he was heading down the stairs before he even realized it. As he got closer to the landing, Link could hear the furious scratching of a pen against paper and Shad’s unmistakable muttering. The familiar sounds of Shad busy with research were admittedly comforting, but not at nearly two o’ clock in the morning. Link crept into the kitchen, hoping to avoid spooking his lover, only for Shad to pause.

“I do hope I haven’t woken you, love.” Shad said tiredly, pausing in his work to run a hand through his hair. 

“Nah, I was already up.” Link replied, coming over to him and looping his arms around Shad’s shoulders from behind. Shad sighed a bit, leaning back into the embrace. Link chuckled as Shad slouched down a bit so he could look up at Link in his current position. 

“Not for a night patrol, I hope. You’d certainly be making a statement walking about in your pajamas.” Shad quipped, earning him a soft laugh from Link.

“Nope, not my week, remember?”

“Ah, right. Well then, why are you up so late?” Shad asked, not expecting Link to lean down and rest his chin on his shoulder.

“I’ve been waitin’ for you to come to bed, darlin’.” Link replied, gently nuzzling the crook of Shad’s neck.

“As much as I would like to, I unfortunately have to finish these blasted grant requests before their imminent deadline.” Shad grumbled, glaring down at the drafts scattered across the kitchen table.

“Grants?” 

“Yes. In order for my department to continue our research, we must renew our research grants biannually in accordance with the financial committee. Unfortunately, they seem rather insistent on denying many of our requests this time.” Shad explained, waving a hand in the direction of the papers scattered across the table.

“Well, that’s a load of bull!” 

“Precisely. This is the fifth set of revisions I’ve had to make, and my colleagues aren’t making things easier. With everyone at each other’s throats for money to fund their project, I’m the only one with a level head at this point... hence why I’ve been tasked with making the revisions, and all the lovely negotiations that come with making them.” Shad muttered as he brought his fingers to his temples, rubbing them in hopes of warding off yet another headache.

“So, it’s basically just the finance committee being jerks again?” Link asked.

“Mostly. Honestly though, the department will be able to run at its current budget just as well. But for any real progress to be made, resources will be required. And with everyone not paying attention to how requests should be handled, it’s fallen to me to try and clean up this mess. It’s really just the interdepartmental ‘pleasantries’ that are taking their toll.” Shad finished with a tired sigh. 

“How much longer have you got until things are due?” Link asked, hoping it wasn’t too soon.

“I still have a few days. I really only need to organize everything and formally write it down. There’s just this one little detail that’s bothering me…” Shad replied as he shuffled through a stack of papers. Link cocked an eyebrow as he found the one he was looking for.

“I can see why. All that red ink would bother me, too!” Link joked, earning him a sour look from Shad.

“How do you think I feel? I’m the one that put it there, after all!”

“Alright, alright. So, what’s your gripe? It all looks good to me once you get past all the red.” Link asked as he skimmed it over.

“Well, you see, this sentence here can be written both with and without a comma, and I haven’t a clue as to if I should or shouldn’t include it.” Shad finished, glaring at the offending sentence. Link snorted.

“Wait, that’s what’s got you up this late? A  _ comma _ ?” Link asked, trying his hardest not to laugh.

“Yes! Link, I really don’t appreciate you laughing like that, this is a serious matter!” Shad implored, not happy with Link having broken down into stitches of laughter.

“Y-you’re telling me, that you’ve been worrying your head over a silly little comma for the past week?!”

“Yes! The committee are even more stringent than Zelda’s court! Most of the grants were denied due to formatting rather than anything else. I-why are you laughing so hard?!”

“It’s just so absurd, Shad! Something as silly as a comma causin’ all this trouble… man, the nobles really are off their rockers.” Link said as he finally released Shad from his hold, grabbed the pen, and decisively put a comma in the offending sentence.

“Now c’mon, let’s get you to bed.” Link urged, trying not to giggle as Shad looked between him and the paper in bewilderment.

“You only glanced at it. How are you so certain?”

“It just looked right. Tell you what, you can look at it in the morning and we can argue about it then. But you really need some sleep, Shad.” Link said, offering Shad a gentle smile.

             Shad looked down to the paper one last time before sighing. He put the paper down as he stood, not enjoying the way his back cracked as he stood up fully. Even Link jumped a bit at the sudden pop as Shad raised his arms up to stretch fully. Shad offered Link a sheepish grin as he let his arms fall to his sides, glad to see the gesture met with a chuckle and Link wrapping his arm around Shad’s waist. 

“You’re takin’ tomorrow off and catching up on your rest, you hear me?” Link said as he led them up the stairs, earning him a soft laugh from Shad.

“Understood. And Link?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you. It really was silly of me to get so upset over a comma, wasn’t it?” Shad asked as Link walked them into their room.

“Eh, I wouldn’t be so sure. I mean, I’m the guy that gets all bent out of shape when the training yard ain’t cleaned up the way I like it.” Link finished as he let go of Shad and crawled up into the bed. Shad simply chuckled.

“I suppose that’s true. But sincerely, thank you. I’m sorry I’ve been ignoring you these past few days.” Shad offered as he followed behind him, being sure to curl around Link and draw him into a gentle embrace. Link smirked as he snuggled into the hold, turning so he could tuck his head beneath Shad’s chin and tangle their legs together.

“Don’t worry about it, darlin’. I know you didn’t mean no harm. Just… next time something’s eating at you, please talk to me. I know I’m guilty of doin’ it too, but-”

“We’ll both get better about it together. Now then, I do believe dreamland is calling us.” Shad whispered before pressing a kiss to the top of Link’s head.

“Yeah. Night Shad. I’ll see you when you wake up.”

“Likewise, love. Good night.”

And with that, Shad finally slipped into what he was certain was the best rest he’d gotten in a long time. 

**Author's Note:**

> When Shad returned to work, he dumped every single draft into a box and dropped it off at the Finance Committee’s office, which forced them to go through each and every one. Needless to say, there were less frivolous rejections from then on.


End file.
